Shifts & Changes
by onemakaveli96
Summary: What happened THAT night could change them forever--change their friendship, their outlooks, and their hopes. For better or for worse were yet to be seen, but they each individually knew that fighting the change would be futile. Two-shot, McStizzie.
1. Part One

**Title: **Shifts and Changes  
**Summary:** What happened THAT night could change them forever--change their friendship, their outlooks, and their hopes. For better or for worse were yet to be seen, but they each individually knew that fighting the change would be futile.  
**Rating:** T (will increase)  
**Note:** It's a two-shot, and this one ends abruptly. So, do you want the next part today? Well, that's up to the readers, so you might want to hit that little purple button on the bottom...

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Seven months ago, seven months after she had ended things with George, she had befriended the unlikeliest of men. It hadn't been an easy transition--cutting off ties with a man who had at one point been her best friend, and then becoming friends with a man who very well was the opposite of George. It hadn't been easy to trust him, to ensure that he wanted nothing more than friendship with her, but simultaneously it had felt so natural.

Because he was the opposite of George, and each understood the consequences and ramifications that came from being a dirty mistress. It had been difficult to have others understand their friendship, but Isobel Stevens had never been concerned with what others thought of her.

Unfortunately for her, that little habit of her not caring for others thoughts had done nothing for her in the wake of the George affair. She had the capacity to stand again though, and it did her well when she came across a misguided Mark Sloan. Misguided just like her.

A small talk here and there, lunch meals, and minutes of comfortable silence in the gallery had gradually transformed into a friendship.

What happened that night however, on the couch in front of the TV in Meredith's house, neither could foresee. In a similar fashion to her old friendship with George, Izzie had affirmed her bond with Mark by spending hours and hours together, and trading off barbs and laughs.

She couldn't account for the warm feeling and wonderful sense of being that Mark had been providing in her though, certainly because she'd never had this build-up with George. And because from early on she had made the decision to not compare George with Mark. They were opposites for a reason, and as such, there was no reason to tie them into the same sentence.

Mark had comforted her dozens of times, had helped her come to terms with the end of a relationship that had required so much self-sacrifice, and in turn she had helped him with Hahn.

Of course, when Mark had finally 'bagged' (for lack of a better term) Hahn, the relationship had lasted nothing short of three months. Well, in all truthfulness, the relationship lasting that long was a miracle. Another miracle was the fact that it had been Hahn's consistent resistance to any real intimacy (aka, non-bedroom-related intimacy) that had doomed the relationship. Of course, Mark being a man and all, stuck it out a while for the 'great sex.' At which Izzie would always slap him behind the head over.

That brief, if momentous, relationship had ended two months ago and except for the little detail of Mark not having chased any tails for the past two months (excluding the sexist remarks and flirtatious talk-ups of course) everything seemed right in the world.

Meredith and the gang wouldn't say this due to the odd (to them) friendship between Mark and Izzie, but after much debate and Alex's promise to 'kick their ass' if they ever again insinuated there was anything more than just a friendship, they had given their shrugs and continued with their own little mellow-dramatics.

But what happened THAT night could change them forever--change their friendship, their outlooks, and their hopes. For better or for worse were yet to be seen, but they each individually knew that no matter how much they could pretend that what happened was of no grand significance, fighting the change would be futile.

Sprawled out on the couch, fighting once again over whether Kate Austen end up with Sawyer or Dr. Jack Shepherd, a moment passed over them that signaled a shift in the friendship.

"If she ends up with the doctor, then they'll be sending the message that even ex-cons, not just princesses, can have their prince in the end."

"He's not wearing a crown--I doubt he's a price."

"They friggin put him on like he's the martyr and hero of the group! He's the prince of losties!"

"He's got the makings of a tragic hero."

"No, Sawyer's the tragic hero. Con man, with a good heart that's just a bit soiled."

"Speaking of soiled, how many times do you think a lostie's walked in on another lostie while their taking care of business."

"Mark?!" she slapped him across the chest.

He laughed, knowing that remark would cost him a point.

"Gees, I'm trying to have a serious conversation here!"

"I don't think serious conversations involve fictional characters dealing with fictional plots in a fictional setting."

"This can apply to real life--see Kate, she's made her mistakes, and sometimes she really pisses you off. Also, she likes two completely different guys, one who could be bad with her and one who would be good for her. So, should she go the safe route or follow her heart."

"By going with Sawyer, she would be going the safe route because it's the familiar path."

"Well, maybe it's what she deserves."

"Right, because no one in life should get a second chance. Especially someone who risked their freedom for the sake of her mother's freedom."

"Then why'd she run?"

"Alright Izzie, you keep saying she'll end up with Sawyer. But answer me this--who do you think she _should _go with?"

Izzie opened her mouth, only to close it again, clearly not wanting to answer. Mark chuckled at her, and nodded his head in disbelief.

"I knew it--you want her with Jack."

She scoffed and prepared to protest, but decided against it.

"Fine, yes, I would like Kate to go with Jack, but realistically what are the chances that a girl like her will end up with a guy like him."

"Hey, Jack's got his demons, he's just better at hiding them."

"Maybe, but you're bias. Of course you're going to root for the doctor to get the girl. And he's a Shephard."

"Look, Kate's mistakes may be far greater than Jack's, but her strength , will, and her heart is what he sees. It's what he loves about her."

"He loves her?"

"No Izzie, he just willingly throws himself in harms way and protects her from judging eyes just for the hell of it. What do you think Izzie?"

"No need to get all offensive, Mark--and since when can you interpret an action as one of love?"

Wearily, he glanced at her, trying to concoct an answer that wouldn't give way to his own feelings.

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	2. Part Two

Title: Shifts and Changes (2/2)  
**Summary:** What happened THAT night could change them forever--change their friendship, their outlooks, and their hopes. For better or for worse were yet to be seen, but they each individually knew that fighting the change would be futile.  
**Rating:** M  
**Note:** Rating is to be safe, as I would not pescribe the following as smut. I forgot to note that TV timelines are screwy, so in this timeline _Lost _is mid-season 2. **Read, Review, Enjoy.**

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Izzie and Mark weren't sprawled out on different ends of the couch--they sat back to back, Izzie's head on Mark's shoulder, and vice-versa. Their legs laid on their own ends, but they kept their proximity to talk. _Lost_ had only just ended, and like always, sparked a debate. This one, like most, of course consisted of the love triangle. 

Thus far, the conversation had extended to 12 minutes, when suddenly Mark lifted his head from Izzie's shoulder, a signal for her to do the same, and he brought his feet to the carpet. Izzie gave her feet some footing too, and sat in a normal fashion on the couch, instead resting her head on the couch.

They sat back, Izzie waiting for Mark to respond to her question. After a few moments, Izzie said, "So, you going to answer?"

He smirked at her impatience, and decided to lean forward, elbows on his thighs, chin on his conjoined hands.

"They might just be actors, and all they got to go on is a script, but any actor with chops can interpret the reading between the lines--and can portray it on screen."

Izzie nodded in agreement, and leaned forward to meet Mark's stance.

"Look at you--all wise and insightful. If only Derek could see you now," she playfully mocked him.

"You know me," he mocked, "and it's either that or Matthew Fox and Evangeline Lilly are having an affair."

"You are disgusting!" she swatted his shoulder, "Tsk, tsk, tsk--just when I thought you were maturing."

"What fun would I be then?" Mark grinned.

"Well, that's partially true," she sighed, leaning back on Mark. She adjusted herself, moving Mark's arm, and resting her head on his shoulder blade.

"If it was Jack who was the ex-con, and Kate with the hero complex, would you still see them together?" Mark said out of the blue after some moments.

Perplexed, Izzie shifted slightly to look up at Mark.

"Because let's face it--the popular public would generally be more opposed to a woman with a respectable past and job getting with a guy with a criminal one, in contrast to a respectable man with a convicted woman. Gender roles and all."

"In society, neither would really be acceptable," Izzie stated.

"Right, but wouldn't the respectable female be protected far more than a man?"

"Well, yea."

"But I'm asking you--do you think that theoretical Jack would deserve theoretical Kate?"

"And this is all assuming that instead of Sawyer, there would be another girl?"

"Yea, like Ana Lucia."

Izzie turned her gaze from Mark's, thinking for a moment on the theoretical scenario. Gender-specific, there were still prejudices in society, and in people like herself. Should the good girl go to the bad boy, as opposed to the bad girl going to the good boy. And really, doesn't it depend?

"It depends," she answered.

"On?" he caught her gaze, so she wouldn't avoid the answer furthermore.

"It depends on the guy's heart--if, like Kate, he would have a good will and heart, then he would deserve that chance to be with the one he really loves."

"But with love, you never know, right?" he smirked, but Izzie caught the uncertainty in his gaze.

"That's the fun and horror of it," she whispered. Mark then took her hand in his, and moved to rest his chin on Izzie's crown.

"If you ever repeat this you won't have in on a surgery ever again, but--I really enjoy having someone to talk to like this."

Inhaling softly, she murmured," Me too."

Her soft murmur compelled him to shift his head, and move his lips to brush a soft kiss on her forehead. Involuntary, Izzie shivered under his tentative action, and she inched her head up to meet his eyes.

Their eyes locked for a moment, they stared, frozen in the moment. Something else froze this time. It wasn't Izzie, it wasn't Mark. It was the surrounding room, the stillness of the moment, the lack of disturbance. They knew they were leaning in, and they could not ignore the desire that slowly was exposing itself in the moment.

Before their lips could meet, Mark whispered, "Izzie."

And she, "I'm not drunk."

Smirking in response, he said, "I'm not married."

And their lips crashed, with no extenuating circumstances to damn them. Except maybe their friendship, but that issue seemed to pale in comparison to previous issues.

Her hands dove into his hair, as his hands cradled her face, their tongues fighting for dominance, lips bruising in the heat of passionate kisses, as they were sucked into a dance.

They cared for each other, and perhaps somewhere in between they had fallen in love. But the word love went unspoken, as they let passion override uncertainties.

They were stripped of clothing, precautions thrown to the wind, and they just let instinct control them. Bare and naked, they kissed fervently, touched as though they had been deprived of proper nutrition.

"Mark," Izzie whispered into his ear, her body writhing beneath him.

"Uh huh," he said against her soft breast.

"Now, Mark. I-I…," she tugged at his hair, gathering his attention.

"Now Mark," she said more firmly.

He nodded, and responded with a soft kiss--and by delving into her.

Izzie moaned, her head fell back, and she grasped the floor beneath her. Mark dug his head into her neck, nipping her skin, pushing into her. Hard. Back and forth, making her shiver and moan, making her grip his back and wrap her legs around him. She pushed him into her harder, felt him seep into her skin, and felt the pleasure ride over them in waves.

The moment would be over too soon, and he would rest his head on her chest, and she would trace invisible lines on his back. They wouldn't speak, because they knew that words would only ruin what had just occurred. Because what happened, wasn't supposed to happen between friends. But what they had felt, didn't happen to just anybody. And so they were without answers, so much so, they weren't willing to risk anything.

Eventually, they had to get up, had to get clothed, and eventually Mark had to leave (they were already fortunate enough to not have Meredith come home). In this time, no words were spoken either--they clothed in silence. However, Marks' departure had to be addressed in some way or another.

Izzie cleared her throat after Mark threw his coat on, readying herself to say something casual, but instead he laid his hand on the back of her head, and titled it up so he could meet her lips in a soft and sweet small kiss.

"I'll see you tomorrow," he then said, and left the house.

"Yea," she barely managed to answer, still befuddled as to what all of this meant. Their state of friendship had obviously shifted, but only time could tell what else would shift between them.

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End file.
